preparing fresh pumpkin

How To Make preparing fresh pumpkin

• Step 1
  BOILING METHOD: Clean and peel pumpkin or squash. Discard seeds and stringy material from inside. Cut into small pieces and boil like potatoes until the pumpkin/squash is soft. Strain after cooking. Puree pumpkin in a blender. (Can be frozen)
• 
  Step 2
  BAKING METHOD #1: Cut an access hole of about 3-4 inch radius around the stem. Remove this piece, scoop out seeds and stringy material from the inside and discard. Place cleaned pumpkin/squash on a roasting pan or other oven-ready pan with deep sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until pumpkin/squash appears to be collapsing and softening. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Scoop out the meat with a large spoon. Discard skin. Puree pumpkin/squash meat in a food processor. **NOTE: this method is much easier than the boiling method above. It goes significantly faster and leaves a fairly dry puree that can be used directly without further concentration. The resulting puree is also more healthy and flavorful since the flavor wasn't boiled out with the vitamins.
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  Step 3
  BAKING METHOD #2: (my preferred method) NOTE: This is probably overall the best and fastest way to do it! Slice pumpkin/squash in half. Remove all seeds and string. Place both halves on a cookie sheet and place in a 425 degree oven. Cook for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to around room temperature. Scoop out the pumpkin/squash meat with an ice cream scoop. It will be stringy. Chop it up with a Braun hand mixer until it's reasonably chopped. You can't get all the stringiness out with the hand mixer, so when it's processed with the hand mixer, put the result in a food processor and puree it for about 1-2 minutes until all the stringiness is chopped away.
• Step 4
  **NOTE: Use any of these methods in your recipes calling for pumpkin or freeze it in 1-2 cup amounts until needed.
• Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!